Civic booster Earl Pike, a consultant who formerly worked as executive director of the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland, spent about eight months shining the spotlight on people - some well known, some not at all - who make Cleveland a better place.

The "Person of the Day" feature on his Facebook page spotlighted hundreds of interesting people. But he decided recently that the idea had run its course.

"Everything has its season,' Pike said during a gathering of people featured as his "Person of the Day" last week.

Several of them spoke about their passion for improving Cleveland.

Alex Barton talked about efforts to renovate St. John Church in Ohio City, where the gathering was held, and turn it into a community asset.

Jack Storey talked about coming home to Collinwood and joining the effort to raise Cleveland up after Forbes put the city on its miserable cities list. "I never planned on coming home until I read that," he said.

Richard Herman extolled the virtues of immigration to restore a depleted population. "Reimagine Cleveland as a multicultural mecca," he said.

Lawyer Melissa Yasinow said she's stumping for votes for the Cleveland Heights City Council. "Our inner-ring suburbs are our lifeblood," she said.

Mansfield Frazier talked of creating wealth in Hough through his vineyard and biocellar projects.

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